Interviews

Corporate spying warning

by Mark Rowe

As businesses regain confidence, renewed interest in corporate mergers and acquisitions and Initial Public Offerings (IPO) appear to be on the up. But according to a counter-surveillance company, this is the time for corporate Britain to wake up to the fact that this provides pickings for the corporate spy.

The London Stock Exchange has seen nine IPOs from UK companies worth $4.5 billion so far this year – the highest year-to-date figure for UK companies listing in the home market since 2007. At AIM in the five months to the end of May, 27 companies joined, raising a total of £303.8m.

The number of acquisitions and disposals involving UK companies was in fact down in Q1 2013 from 154 in the same period a year ago, to 94 deals in total. This hides the true value of those deals however, as domestic mergers and acquisitions between UK companies was valued at £1 billion in the Q1 timeframe. Add into the mix inward investment from foreign companies and a further £3.2 billion in value was created.

Peter Clements of Templepan Security Systems Ltd says: “Whether you are a mid-market player, start-up looking for funding or even a larger companies looking at merging or acquiring, the same rules apply. Get your office swept for bugs. It may be highly fashionable to have hugely impenetrable Data Vaults, the very best of enterprise wide security software systems and firewalls, but at the end of the day your deal could collapse if there is one simple bug or spying device in the boardroom.

“Finance directors, risk managers and compliance Officers alike need to be aware of this seemingly low-tech threat to business. Its simple: scan the office, boardroom and buildings. The last thing you need as you prepare for a float or for an acquisition is for your financial data to be used against you.”

About Templepan Security Systems

Founded in 1972 Templepan was originally established to provide corporate organisations, banks and financial institutions with the confirmation they needed that their buildings were free from hidden listening devices. Family-run Templepan provides a range of corporate security services including electronic counter-surveillance inspections and its associated monitoring equipment, CCTV installation and maintenance, covert detection systems, close protection services to VIP clients and a security service for executives.

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